A record amount of firearms were intercepted from passengers rifling through airport security in 2022, the Transportation Security Administration revealed Friday.
Some 6,301 guns were snatched from patrons at airport security by TSA officials as of Dec. 16, including roughly 88% that were loaded, shooting down the prior record of 5,972 confiscations reported last year.
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“I applaud the work of our Transportation Security Officers who do an excellent job of preventing firearms from getting into the secure area of airports, and onboard aircraft,” TSA Administrator David Pekoske said according to a press release.
Officials anticipate that by the year’s end, the number of confiscated guns could jump to 6,600. Current airport rules ban guns from carry-on bags even if one has a concealed weapon permit.
“Firearms are prohibited in carry-on bags at the checkpoint and onboard aircraft. When a passenger brings a firearm to the checkpoint, this consumes significant security resources and poses a potential threat to transportation security, in addition to being very costly for the passenger,” Pekoske added.
For comparison, back in 2010, the number of guns intercepted at airports was 1,123, but that figure has been topped in nearly every successive year except for 2020 during the pandemic. The TSA imposes a maximum of a $14,950 civil penalty for a firearms violation, with the exact amount levied varying on the specifics of a given case.
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If a passenger is caught with an authorized firearm, he or she may be subject to “enhanced screening,” according to the agency. Patrons who violate the rules could also be subject to arrest depending on state law and will have their TSA PreCheck eligibility revoked for five years. PreCheck permits passengers to go through an expedited airport security process.
